Make Your Own Paper: Professor Figgy's Step-By-Step Guide

With just a few ingredients and a bit of patience, you, too, can make your own paper!

Do It Yourself

Making your own paper is a fun activity for any age — although kids under 10 may need an adult to help with this project. Papermaking is a cool way to teach kids about trees, recycling, and the value of simple things... like paper. Plus, it's fun to get messy and try variations of your own. Read on for the how tos from one of our crafting experts, Professor Figgy >>

Courtesy of Professor Figgy

Gather the Materials

Begin by gathering your materials:

*4 full sheets of newspaper

*Wire coat hangers

*Panty hose

*School glue

*Heavy-duty tape

Courtesy of Professor Figgy

What You'll Need

You’ll need the following tools:

*Blender

*Large measuring cup

*Tablespoon

*Kitchen or utility sink

*A lot of water

Courtesy of Professor Figgy

Undo the Hanger

To make the frames needed to make the paper, start by undoing the coat hanger.

Courtesy of Professor Figgy

Bend It

Then bend the coat hanger as shown.

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Secure It

And secure the overlapping ends by bending them back along the hanger.

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Tape It

Use tape to cover the rough and bent edges of the hanger.

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Put on the Pantyhose

Carefully pull one leg of the pantyhose over the frame, making sure it is taut, flat, and evenly distributed on the frame.

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Secure the Hose

Tie off the panty hose on either end to secure into place. Make as many of these frames as pieces of paper you want to make.

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Turn on the Water

Fill your sink with at least 4 inches of water.

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Tear the Paper

While the sink is filling, tear four full sheets of newspaper into 2-inch squares.

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Blend the Paper

Next, make a paper/water slurry in the blender. The ratio is four cups of water to half of the torn newspaper squares. Alternate handfuls of newspaper squares and water as you blend everything on high to make a large grey glob. You may have to add a little more water to keep things moving smoothly. Keep the food processor on until all the paper has disappeared. Then leave it on for a full two minutes to completely blend the paper.

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Mix it Up

Add both batches of the paper/water slurry to the sink water along with 3 to 4 tablespoons of school glue, which will help bind the paper and reduce its absorbency.

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Get Dirty

Use your hands to mix the paper slurry mixture. It's much more fun that way.

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Dunk and Lift

Scoop the frame to the bottom of the sink and then lift it up very slowly through the water/glue/paper mix, counting to 20 slowly as you lift.

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Drain the Water

Once you have lifted the frame out of the slurry, let the water drain from it for about a minute.

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Get Outside

Then place the frame in a place where it will dry completely, such as outside in the sun!

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Dry it Out

Once the paper is completely dry (there can be no dampness at all), carefully peel it off of the frame. If desired, steam it out with a hot iron to flatten and remove any wrinkles.

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Voilà: Paper!

Now sit back and admire your homemade paper! Use it to paint or draw on, to make a craft, or to send a letter to a friend.

Courtesy of Professor Figgy

Meet the Expert

Jim Noonan is a former crafter for The Martha Stewart Show where he worked for four years both on-air and behind-the-scenes developing and producing numerous original craft projects. He is also the founder of Professor Figgy's Fabulous Science Kits which creates unique and educational science kits for kids and families that combine the wonders of science with the fun of crafting. Jim is originally from Westerly, Rhode Island, and currently lives in Brooklyn.

Comments

Why would you put this in a sink? How do you plan to clean it? - Why not use a big pan? Other than that your instructions are good

anonymous on 2012-09-13 08:27:11

Sounds like fun! And a delightful activity to do with your grandkids! This is especially important if you're a fulltime or frequent caregiver for your grands and need new ways to challenge and entertain them!. And, by the way, if you were a member on the old site and you're looking for Grandparents Caring for Grandkids, we are here, in the Community section, where groups, in general are located. All you have to do is click on Community (above, middle), then the category of Grandparenting and you'll see us. You'll also see the "wrong" mod name, but never mind that, for now. It's your same old, very supportive group and I'm the "same old" Rosered135. Come on over and lets' try to pick up where we left off... :- )

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